Protective

It's been three whole months since Galia's wedding and Jamie still feels like a teenager - Carol tells her that it's good for her, to feel that way - and she has done ever since Spock kissed her. She finds it a little awkward on their first shift together, but Spock handles himself in his usual calm manner so Jamie can handle the proximity after kissing him.

They've found a new rhythm of working together and now well Jamie wonders how she didn't see it before - the strange but endearing behavior Spock had been displaying. Lately, it seemed that the Vulcan had taken a keen interest in her well-being, often appearing at her side during tense moments and offering assistance without being asked. There is only one conclusion. Spock is ... protective ...of her.

First, there had been the incident on the med bay when she had been sitting on a biobed, wincing slightly as Bones tended to a minor wound on her arm. Her gaze wanders, catching sight of Spock standing a few feet away, his posture rigid, his eyes fixed intently on the doctor's every move.

Last week during an away mission, he insisted on taking point even though Jamie was in charge. And then there was the time in engineering when the console overloaded and he moved her out of the way before she even realised what was happening. A console that had taken her days to repair and reprogram.

And now she's sitting at one of the central workstations in the lab that has technology filled with pristine holographic displays, glowing consoles, and the soft hum of advanced machinery. Jamie is hunched over a terminal. Lines of code stream across the screen, each keystroke a rhythmic symphony of precision.

"Alright, just need to tweak this algorithm... and then we should see the recalibration data sync with the mainframe." Jamie's fingers dance across the keyboard, a look of intense concentration on her face. "And ... BINGO!"

It's not until she turns around that she is startled by Spock.

"You did not arrive for your shift on the bridge, you failed to come to meal times in the mess hall -"

Jamie winced, now that he mentioned it, she was feeling rather hungry, "Sorry, I get carried away when I'm coding."

Spock raises an eyebrow. "The human body requires sustenance and rest to function optimally."

"I know, I know. Please don't tell Bones. I don't need another lecture." Jamie sighs, "It's just that I've been working on this program. It's a real-time communication protocol to improve our interstellar transmissions. If I can get it to work, we'll be able to communicate across vast distances with minimal delay."

"An intriguing endeavor. However, even the most brilliant minds must take time to recharge. Come, let us go to the mess hall. You can explain your work to me while we eat."

She smiles tiredly and pushes her chair back. "Alright, Spock. You win. But you better be ready for a lot of technical jargon."

"I would expect nothing less."

"You've been rather attentive lately ... your behaviour is protective. In regards to me," Jamie said, finally approaching the topic she had been wanting to discuss with him. Even if she found his behaviour endearing.

Spock's eyes meet hers, and for a brief moment, the usual Vulcan mask of logic and reason gives way to something more personal, more vulnerable. "Is there not an old earthly saying? Protect that which you love."

Jamie's caught off guard, feels her breath hitch. Her heart races as she stares at Spock ... of all the things she had been expecting a declaration was not one of them.

"Let me take this opportunity to declare koon-ut-so'lik, it translates to 'the desire to become one's mate' in your language. It is a declaration, a proposal of sorts, though it carries deeper significance in Vulcan culture."

Jamie is at a loss for words.

"Our interactions have grown increasingly intimate and more frequent," Spock said. He had a point just last week his hands had traced the outlines of her body as they kissed. Her reactions were not so innocent either.

"However, as a Vulcan, I am acutely aware of the potential for harm in such intimate encounters. Our physiology is different, and the intensity of my emotions, though controlled, can be overwhelming. That is why I declare koon-ut-so-'lik, the proposal of marriage," he paused, searching her face, "I wish to mind-meld with you, Jamie, to confirm for myself that when we do become intimate my actions do not cause you any harm. It is not only a matter of physical safety but of emotional and psychological well-being. Through the mind-meld, I can ensure that our bond is beneficial for both of us."

"Spock, I... I need some time to think."

Spock simply nods, his eyes softening ever so slightly as Jamie turns and hurriedly leaves.

Which is how she now finds herself waiting outside Carol's quarters asking for permission to enter.

"What happened now?"

"Spock ... " Jamie rushes inside and takes a deep breath. "He just said something to me... something that's got me completely turned upside down."

"What did he say?"

Jamie takes a deep breath, her voice shaking as she repeats the Vulcan's words.

"So let me get this right. Despite having a T'hy'la bond with your First Officer it's the declaration of love and a proposal from him that freaks you out?"

"Yes ... no ... I don't know." Jamie sighed, "It's complicated. This is why I did not want to rush into ... things."

"You mean rush into feelings?"

Jamie nodded. "I care for Spock an awful lot ... and he'd obviously thought logically a lot about his proposal."

"Jamie, Spock may be logical, but he's also capable of deep feelings. It's just that he doesn't show them like we do. The fact that he said that to you... it means a lot."

Jamie looks at Carol, her eyes wide with uncertainty. "But what if I can't give him what he needs? What if I can't be what he needs?"

"You're his T'hy'la. Vulcans highly honour the bond and the person with which they share it." Carol said, "And from the conversation we're having now, I'm taking it you've not answered him."

Six months. That's how long they had been dating now. It just seemed to be going so quickly. She didn't want to fall into that trap. Jamie shook her head. "I asked for time."

"Then take the time. But he deserves an answer either way."